President Donald Trump’s latest immigration proposal aimed at providing wealthy foreigners a path to U.S. citizenship has garnered few fans—even among his biggest fans on Truth Social.
The so-called “gold card” would offer foreigners the right to live and work in the U.S. as well as full citizenship eventually—in exchange for a $5 million fee.
“You have a green card. This is a gold card,” Trump announced from the White House on Tuesday. “We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million and that’s going to give you green card privileges; plus it’s going to be a route to citizenship. And wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card.”
Asked if Russian oligarchs would be able to purchase the gold card, Trump responded that it was a possibility, adding that he knows “some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people.”
The idea of an initiative aimed at bringing in foreign wealth is not a unique concept.
Golden visa programs offered by a number of countries such as Portugal, Malta, and Brazil offer foreigners residency and sometimes citizenship in exchange for investments within the country.
The U.S., likewise, has offered the EB-5 program since 1990, which effectively grants green cards in exchange for job creation and capital investment.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on Tuesday that the gold card program would replace the existing EB-5 pathway, which mandates a minimum investment of $900,000 and the creation or preservation of at least ten permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.
“Rather than having this sort of ridiculous EB-5 program, we’re going to end the EB-5 program. We’re going to replace it with the Trump Gold Card, which is really a green card,” Lutnick said. “They’ll be able to pay $5 million to the U.S. government. They’ll have to go through vetting, of course, to make sure they’re wonderful world-class global citizens.”
But many of Trump’s supporters—some of whom have taken more hardline anti-migrant stances than the president himself on issues such as H-1B visas for foreign workers—are putting the plan on blast.
“American citizenship should not be for sale,” condemned one person on Truth Social.
“Trump is my President and I understand other Countries apparently do this, but I absolutely HATE this idea!!” wrote another commenter on Truth. “I do not believe is selling American Citizenship to the highest bidders!! I find this idea completely revolting! Pay up and we will fast track someone, I don’t feel this is what our Forefathers intended for America either.”
Another poster decried: “I’ve always defended your policies..no more. This just gives credence to all the leftists who claim you only care about the rich. How about affecting cost of living to the millions who are struggling?”
“I don’t like this idea. The first thing that comes to mind is ‘the path to citizenship’ can’t be bought, it is earned,” echoed someone else. “Who is to say these rich globalists from the WEF won’t try to by one of these gold cards and then start working to destroy the US from within with their agenda.”
Others expressed disappointment that Trump was pushing any sort of pro-immigration proposal.
“I’m a full time [Trump] supporter, but I HATE this idea! Like I hate H-1B & H-2B visas!” wrote one person.
“Not a fan. I think we’ve all had about enough foreigners here for a while,” swiped someone else.
But despite the right-wing criticism, Trump is fully set on the idea. The new gold card program, Trump said, will be rolled out in two weeks.
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